C/D - Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You"

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Yeah yeah, this thread will also probably get 150 replies. But hear me out...

I was watching MTV while putting on my boots this morning, and the Brand Spanking New crap came on and then it was Avril's new single. And I braced myself. So, five seconds in I'm like, "great, it's a ballad and it sounds like Alanis." But the more it went on, the more, well, I can't use any word other than heartbroken I became. Not because it sucked, but because, well, it's a terribly effective song.

The chorus goes "It's a damn cold night / and nothing's gone right / I don't know who you are / but I'm with you" and, along with the video directed by that LaChappelle dude where Avril is at a party but singing to the camera as shit goes on around her and then later alone walking down a street, is all about isolation. Which is something that, well, I'm pretty sure most teenagers feel, especially 14-16 year old girls (her main audience and, if you've read Bubblegum Nation, the only market that counts). I just think that, unlike Avril's interviews, here she's really saying something about being alone in a crowd.

And maybe even her previous singles are about exploring the petty feelings of the hormonal teenage girl and saying, you know what, there's someone out there that feels the same way... who's just as sad and jealous that sk8r boi (or whoever your current crush is) was rocking on MTV.

I just can't deny the fact that this song was kind of moving (although maybe it's just me).

― Aaron W, Thursday, 5 December 2002 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

kill me now....

― Chris V. (Chris V), Thursday, 5 December 2002 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.nobel.se/medicine/laureates/1998/illpres/heart-no.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 5 December 2002 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I prescribe a large dose of Liz Phair's 'Exile In Guyville'. Or even Gemma Hayes, who is the paler second coming of Tanya Donelly.

― nick sweeney, Friday, 6 December 2002 05:03 (twenty-two years ago)

it's not just you. this song is so beautiful. i don't know what it is. the video helped. avril does it right, too. it's like 'rusholme ruffians' in a 90s alt-rock way. she might walk home but her faith in love is still devout and such. but different. it really, really reminds me of something, actually. a song i love. but i have no idea what it is.

it starts out beautifully. about her waiting in the dark for him. the 'by now' is so delicate and right. but there's nothing but the rain. it builds. and the chorus hits perfect.

it's sad and perfect and it makes me feel really weird inside. it might be better than 'complicated' and 'sk8er boi.' it is for sure, i think. i really like the video, too.

― d k (d k), Friday, 6 December 2002 05:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Beyond being Canadian and having very long hair, I really don't hear a lot of simillarities between her and Alanis, really. Avril's voice is completely different and evokes more youth and humour than the insufferably pious Mz.Morissette. (She's also much cuter than Alanis may ever hope to be, but I suppose that's beside the point).

Just saw the vid for this track ("I'm With You") and I'm not as offended by it as I was expecting I'd be. I do so wish she'd drop the whole Punk fashion thing, as her music has precious fuck-all to do with Punk Rock (notice that TLC's "Girls Talk" has the two remaining gals decked out like Punks at one point? Is co-opting the visual aesthetic of Punk Rock to be the new pop crime like the heavy metal kitsch of a couple years back?) In any event, while I wouldn't quite use the terminology thrown about above ("beautiful", "heartbreaking"), it's probably the best of her three singles thus far.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 6 December 2002 07:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Matt sez: "AVRIL LAVIGNE IS NOT ATTRACTIVE. AT ALL"

― jm, Friday, 6 December 2002 22:07 (twenty-two years ago)

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Sunday, 8 December 2002 03:24 (twenty-two years ago)

seven months pass...

NOT HOT.

― Andrew (enneff), Monday, 28 July 2003 01:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm sure I'm not aware of a lot of David LaChappelle's work, but what I have seen does suck.

A friend of mine raved about him about a year ago (she's the type to like those faux-porn star pictures he photographed for fucking Cosmo magazine or whatever - it just looked like Moulin Rouge type crap to me), then it turns out that he's directed shot videos for The Vines, Enrique Iglesias and this not-quite-so-bad one for Lavigne.

Did he do the 'Dirrty' vid? That was OK.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Monday, 28 July 2003 01:55 (twenty-two years ago)

three years pass...

lol

― Surmounter, Sunday, 4 March 2007 22:44 (eighteen years ago)

Ah, my second-favorite Avril song, right after the one where she's "not gonna give it up to you."

― milo z, Sunday, 4 March 2007 22:52 (eighteen years ago)

I haven't heard the new one everybody on Teenpop is going nuts for, but I like this one a bunch.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Sunday, 4 March 2007 22:52 (eighteen years ago)

i know i kinda like i'm with you (a bunch), even though i kinda don't.

the new one is sorta bad.

― Surmounter, Sunday, 4 March 2007 23:00 (eighteen years ago)

RONG IT IS AWESOME LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ25-glGRzI&mode=related&search=

― Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved, Monday, 5 March 2007 00:48 (eighteen years ago)

Best song? Don't Tell Me.

― MRZBW, Monday, 5 March 2007 01:24 (eighteen years ago)

'i'm with you' remains my favourite avril song though 'girlfriend' and 'my happy ending' run it close

― lex pretend, Monday, 5 March 2007 13:01 (eighteen years ago)

I think I like Losing Grip better

― baaderonixx, Monday, 5 March 2007 14:12 (eighteen years ago)

Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend (Worldwide Single)

01 - English Version
02 - Spanish Version
03 - French Version
04 - German Version
05 - Italian Version
06 - Japanese Version
07 - Portuguese Version
08 - Mandarin Version

(L)

― MRZBW, Thursday, 8 March 2007 05:01 (eighteen years ago)

"girlfriend" = favorite song of 2007 so far

― impudent harlot, Thursday, 8 March 2007 07:40 (eighteen years ago)

"i'm with you" is marvelous too

― impudent harlot, Thursday, 8 March 2007 07:41 (eighteen years ago)

'i'm with you' remains my favourite avril song though 'girlfriend' runs it close

Same here.

― The Brainwasher, Thursday, 8 March 2007 07:47 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

I don't know what to make of this song.

― Stevie D, Monday, 7 May 2007 07:56 (eighteen years ago)

Girlfriend, not I'm With You

― Stevie D, Monday, 7 May 2007 07:57 (eighteen years ago)

It's like the best thing ever, the handclap breakdown bit is stupid and obvious in theory, but genius in actuality.

― I know, right?, Sunday, 13 May 2007 23:26 (eighteen years ago)

three years pass...

this song is so perfect

― suckin deez in belize (The Brainwasher), Saturday, 4 September 2010 04:08 (fifteen years ago)

u r otm

― markers, Saturday, 4 September 2010 04:21 (fifteen years ago)

this song and "Breakaway" are so similar (which I assume is why one was cut from the Avril album and given to Kelly) that I kinda feel like I only need one of them and prefer "Breakaway," but both are great.

― some dude, Saturday, 4 September 2010 14:53 (fifteen years ago)

man fuck the first few responses to this thread.

― Brad Nelson (BradNelson), Saturday, 4 September 2010 15:40 (fifteen years ago)

Avril Lasuck

― funky brewster (San Te), Saturday, 4 September 2010 15:50 (fifteen years ago)

this is my favourite avril lavigne song, it's great.

― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Saturday, 4 September 2010 16:12 (fifteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

rihanna's new album has a song that samples this btw

― Pitchfork.com, a music recommendation Web site (The Brainwasher), Friday, 1 October 2010 05:34 (fifteen years ago)

Have to say I saw some pictures of her the other day and she was very just below average. You'll find much finer ladies in your local indie disco apeing her look I'd imagine. Suits the music just fine then.
― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Sunday, December 8, 2002 3:24 AM (7 years ago) Bookmark

haha wut

― Matt Armstrong, Friday, 1 October 2010 07:12 (fifteen years ago)

xp: between this and B.O.B.'s Michelle Branch rip, I guess early 2000s girl-pop is coming back in a big way.

― kkvgz, Friday, 1 October 2010 11:57 (fifteen years ago)

I love this jam, by the way - totally classic.

― kkvgz, Friday, 1 October 2010 11:59 (fifteen years ago)

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